Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein pointed to the team’s Western Conference Semifinals battle against Denver as the defining moment of their postseason run.
“We’ve grown a lot. We’ve matured,” Hartenstein said in an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio. “The Denver series helped us the most.”
The Thunder defeated the Nuggets in seven games, advancing past the second round for the first time in over a decade. That physical and tactical challenge, Hartenstein noted, proved vital to the Thunder’s development.
“Just growing through that grind, learning on the fly I think helped us a lot,” the 27-year-old big man continued. “What a lot of people don’t know is yeah, we’re young, but we’re very mature in the way we approach each thing throughout the playoffs and throughout the season in general.”
Hartenstein has averaged 7.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game during the 2025 postseason. While his Game 4 performance in the NBA Finals included just two points in 21 minutes, his screen setting, rim protection, and passing remain key components of Oklahoma City’s success.
The Thunder erased a 10-point deficit entering the fourth quarter to defeat the Pacers 111-104 and tie the Finals at 2-2. Despite limited scoring from the bench and minimal three-point shooting, Oklahoma City closed on a 16-7 run, led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Hartenstein emphasized the team’s poise under pressure.
“I think a lot of the younger teams would have panicked in certain… even like in the last game when we were down 10 going into [the] fourth, a lot of people probably would have panicked,” he said. “But we’re just even keel.”
The Thunder, who clinched the NBA’s best regular season record, have relied on collective resilience throughout the playoffs. The Denver series tested their composure against a seasoned opponent and prepared them for late-game scenarios on the Finals stage.
“For a young team like this it’s pretty special,” Hartenstein added.
Oklahoma City now returns to Paycom Center for Game 5 on Monday. Historically, the winner of a 2-2 NBA Finals Game 5 has gone on to win the series 73% of the time.
